MID-PENINSULA ACCESS TV STATEMENT FOR VIRGINIA CHANG KIRALY

By Virginia Chang Kiraly

If elected to the fire board, the goals I want to achieve are:

• Financial stability, sustainability, and accountability
• Better strategic planning for more efficient operations
• Installation of school fire alarms in portable classrooms and connection of school fire alarms to fire stations
• Fire safety education for children, using the Survive Alive House, to teach emergency response and survival skills

Approximately 70%-75% of the district's calls are medical emergencies. We need more efficient paramedic response than traditional fire engines.

I have earned the confidence and endorsement of a widely diverse group of community and elected leaders.

I was 100% honest with every group that interviewed me. I minced no words. I have gone on record as believing that the pension model for the fire district is not financially sound. And yet, I received endorsements from three very different organizations that most of us would think are worlds apart in their beliefs.

The first is the leadership team of Menlo Park's Pension Reform Initiative-- Measure L. This was no surprise.

The second endorsement was astounding: the Menlo Park Firefighters Association

The third endorsement was from the San Mateo County Labor Council

I got these endorsements after reaffirming my long-time stance on pension reform and fiscal conservatism.

I am the only candidate who has actively been involved with pension reform the last 10 years, and my views are well-known in the public realm.

While I have accepted the firefighters endorsement, I declined their generous offer to contribute to my campaign. The Labor Council offered no campaign contribution.

What these endorsements show is that the district's major stakeholders know that I understand that there are solutions to complicated issues, such as pensions, and that they are within reach. I have been honest about this issue throughout my campaign. The incumbent has had 12 years to solve this with no results. We are still facing disagreements about pension issues.

Our fire district also needs to make a better connection with the community so our children are safe in their schools and our community is prepared in case of a disaster.

On the Grand Jury, I advocated and recommended connecting school fire alarms to fire departments, after I learned that there was no fire alarm connection between my children's school and our fire district. I was stunned when, at the time, while volunteering at my children's school, the school's fire alarm was triggered and was not a false alarm. There was no emergency response whatsoever, even though a fire station was just a few blocks away. our children's safety is one of my top priorities.

With 15 years of experience in corporate financial analysis and planning, I offer skills to keep our fire district financially sustainable. I am a Commissioner on the California Commission for Economic Development, earned my B.A. in government and economics from the University of Texas-Austin, and lecture on "Women and Management" at Notre Dame de Namur University.

My community outreach work in disaster preparedness as a board member of the Silicon Valley Red Cross Board is important to me, as well. Disaster preparedness became a priority for me as a mother and volunteer when, from 1999-2000, I managed Survive Alive House-- a joint project between the Jr. League of Palo Alto*Mid-Peninsula and our fire district-- teaching children about fire safety, emergency response, and survival skills. I want to make sure our children have the necessary tools to be prepared in case of an emergency.

I have the business and finance background plus extensive community outreach experience needed on the board.

It would be my honor to serve you on our fire board. I would appreciate your vote on November 8